feliz navidad desde texas....💚❤

Merry Christmas y'all 😊😊

It's crazy to think about how much life has changed throughout this past year. I've learned so much about the importance of God's timing, the Atonement in daily life, and the importance of studying the Book of Mormon daily. 

This week was good! We are teaching a few awesome families and just helping them progress! Hermana Espinoza and I are just trying to work as hard as we can! We actually have an abundance of food here....we had 3 dinners on Saturday! As we got to the second one, the grill didn't work to cook the eat, so we were so grateful! We shared a message, and headed on our way to the third meal 😅

I loved talking with my family today! I am so grateful for eternal families and the opportunity that I have to be able to share this message about eternal families with everyone, and it is all possible because of Christ. I love you all and am so grateful for this Christmas here in Houston!! 

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen  

flying misioneras?

I love being here as a missionary in Texas ❤

Funny story: we are working with a less active part member family, Familia Beltran, and on Saturday night we went to visit them and invite them to church. They have mean scary dog that lives on the porch, and I went up to go put a pass along card on their door, and I thought it was all good, that the dog was asleep. But then the card fell off the door, I bent over to pick it up and THE DOG JUMPS OUT OF IT'S DOGGIE HOME AND started barking and chasing me!! So naturally I just run to Hermana Espinoza, and there were about 6 stairs I had to climb up, and going down them while the dog was chasing me, I literally didn't touch the stairs, not even once...all I remember is sitting in the car, with my heart pounding. Costa Rican dogs didn't prepare me for that experience I guess. Lol God really does protect His missionaries with angels:)

This week, Heavenly Father blessed us with....8 new investigators! So cool. I remember Hermana Espinoza telling me on Monday "hermana, we gotta work hard this week." And we totally did! God is so good. ❤ We found Familia Beltran, and also another, familia De Leon! The dad is the only member in both families, and both are was interested in the Gospel and learning more! Familia De Leon even said "yeah, we were just talking today about how we should go back to a church, then y'all came!" 

We had exchanges this week with the STLs, and I went with Hermana Beazer to her area. Man, she the best, and I learned so much about truly listening to everyone, whether it be an investigator, member or missionary, and acting on what they say. We also had the chance to serve at a recovery place to help those affected by Harvey! It was amazing and such a nice chance to help those who lost everything! That night, we left our phone accidentally with the STLs, and so at 10:30 someone pounds at our door! It was so scary, and Hermana Espinoza was already fast asleep. I tried to wake her up twice, and someone just kept pounding at the door! I've never been more scared! Hermana wakes up, and says, "hermana shhhh. If they don't know we are here, they won't come in!" Well they kept knocking, Espinoza got the courage to answer, and IT WAS THE ELDERS COMING LOOKING FOR US. Cause we didn't answer our nightly phone call from our DL. Hahaha we couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. 

We had the ward Christmas party this week and it was the best. Man, it's been so cool that I've served now in both parts of the ward, so all of the members know me. Also FATIMA CAME!!! Remember the cousin of Hermana Giron? Yeah, the one we were teaching in West Lake north? Well she came to the party and it was the best, even if none of our investigators came :( even if we sent out 15 reminder texts and stopped by everyone's house. But it was the cutest thing because as I walked into the gym, Franco, Fatima's son, come running to me and gives me the biggest hug! It was so cute!! He says "I've missed you so much!! Por fin estamos juntos de nuevo!!" And it melted my ❤❤❤.  Also, we sang villancicos and my heart was just going to burst out of my chest...I was so happy. This ward is the best. 

So this is going to be the longest email ever, but this week in my personal studies, I've been in Mosiah, learning about Abinadi. He was amazing, and a few things that I've learned is that: The Atonement is the key to the Gospel, to be brave and defend our beliefs in front of everyone, and that as we bear our testimonies, we can affect and help even one person, it will affect generations. I love this Christmas season and feeling the Spirit more abundantly.  I also know my Savior lives!!! 

Talk to you next week family!!! So excited to Skype. 😊💙

Xoxox

Hermana Hansen 🎄

West Lake Houston Hermanas (last transfer)

😍

Hermana beazer 💛

Chance to serve at a recovery place to help those affected by Harvey

One of the 50 Beltran Family members..melts my heart

Gotta deliver all these by Christmas lol

Singing at the ward Christmas party💗

Hello everyone!! 

I know this is a classic missionary phrase, but this week passed by so quickly!!

Hermana Espinoza is the best and I have loved being in the same ward, just a different area!! I am learning so much from her, and there are so many miracles we are seeing! Tuesday, after our pday was over, we headed to dinner, and then taught two lessons, ending the day feeling very productive. From that night I knew this transfer was gonna be good. (Even though one week has only passed lol)

It's true...I was here in Houston for the first snowfall since 2009! As we headed out the door to exercise (or just stretch on the floor...you know how it is) we saw beautiful white fluff that was about 1 inch deep. It was really a white Christmas and YES this week was so cold. I thought I was back in Utah...almost 45 degrees everyday! So crazyyy. 

Funny story this week. Yesterday when we stopped in a Chick-fil-A parking lot to use their Wi-Fi to send in our numbers, and of course it was closed, but we pull up and say "what is someone doing going through the drive thru backwards??" (See attached picture) and Hermana Espinoza just cracks up laughing, starting crying and then I realize...oh yeah. Today is Sunday. They are closed. It's the Chick-fil-A catering car. 

We had one of those so-hard-all-you-wanna-do-is-cry days this week. It was rough! We talked to SO many people and knocked as many doors. Then, at 8 pm we tried to find a referral from one of our investigators, Family Peña, and we knocked, and found a man who really is interested in our message, and a WHOLE family who we have a return appointment with. Hermana Espinoza taught me,  "we are just trying to do God's will, and if it's His will that we just plant seeds all day, that is what needs to happen!" She's so amazing. 

I've been studying the Book of Mormon, focusing and highlighting the Doctrine of Christ, and its been amazing! The Book of Mormon is really coming to life!! I also read a talk by President Monson this week titled "Seeing others as they may become" and he talks about a missionary who saw others as they could become each time he contacted someone. It was life changing, and I am trying to do that each day!! I love being a missionary, and especially during this month of December. 

Have a good week!!! And be sure to #lighttheworld this week! 
Xoxox
Hermana Hansen

Wall art in my new area!!

SNOW

Classic first day car selfie.

Chick-fil-A car lol

For day 8 of #lighttheworld we went to nursing home

 and I've never loved anything more! They totally lit up my world :) 

Day 8 of #lighttheworld.

of goodbyes and hellos

Hellooooo everyone!! 

Well the day came quicker than I wanted, but I got transferred away from mi amada, Hermana Young. We got transfer calls on Saturday and I honestly didn't believe it!! But I had a cool experience along with it:) Here we go....so all morning Sunday while I was getting ready, I was just a little worried about who I would be with, and how it would go! At 7:18 am the phone rings, and I see that it said President Hewlett! Obviously my heart started racing, but I answered and he said that all morning the Spirit had been telling him that  "Hermana Hansen had been freaking out about transfers" and so he called me early to tell me! I immediately started crying and just felt an answer to a prayer that I hadn't even expressed. The talk "4th door, last floor" from President Utchdorf came to mind "God hears the silent pleadings of your heart" and it is so true! I now have a firm testimony for that. 

My new companion is Hermana Espinoza...and to say it lightly I am PUMPED. She is from California and her parents are from Mexico!! So she's gonna help me a ton with my Spanish:) She is a firehouse and is a born missionary, and we are going to work so hard. I have a feeling these next six weeks are gonna be so full of miracles :)

We said bye to everyone last night, and saying bye to our investigator Fatima was so hard!! As she said the closing prayer, I started to cry! She has come such a long way and is reading the Book of Mormon! She is progressing spiritually and it's amazing to see her progression 

Funny story: we volunteered at a nativity in the stake center this Friday. We had to leave before dinner time and we just rushed out of the apartment, and so Hermana Young literally grabbed cold fries and a twinkie. So I said, "that's actually not your dinner, right?" And made her eat a banana too...it was so funny! #missionweight

I know Christ is our Savior. It's been amazing to see how His atonement has worked in my life over this past transfer. ❤ I love being a missionary, and I am so excited for this transfer! 

xoxox
Hermana Hansen 

ps My new address is 6200 E. Sam Houston Pkwy #10105, Houston, TX 77049. 
So be sure to send away all those letters that you've been holding back ;)

Fatima's son....my heart. 

Wait....Hermana Young is sharing??? "I'm working on it, ok Hermana?"

The cutest Lil two week old yorkie puppies.

Helping Fatima rake her leaves!

Hermana Sonia is just the cutest.

Fatima going at it with the machete.

My new comp - Hermana Espinoza.